As the bell rings, students at Marina High School quickly file into Michelle Dziadkowicz's ceramics classroom and immediately begin to work on their current art assignment. Some start patting and pounding away on their latest clay concoctions while others continue to work on their tiles for the upcoming mural project.

For years, Dziadkowicz had wanted each of her students to make their own tile. These tiles would eventually be arranged into a large mural on one of the walls outside of Marina's administration office.

"In the past, we had always been too busy for this project. But this year is Marina's 50th anniversary, so it's the perfect timing," said Dziadkowicz.

Students began to design their tiles right after the winter holidays. In order to create one collective theme for the mural, Dziadkowicz asked that all tiles represent some part of the high school's hometown, Huntington Beach.

Senior Casey Hayes used his tile to depict one of the beach's Main Street restaurants, the Sugar Shack Café.

"My neighbors actually own the Sugar Shack," said Hayes. "My family would always go there, so it's always been one of the symbols of my neighborhood growing up."

While there are about 300 students enrolled in ceramics, roughly 90 percent of them are graduating seniors. Much of this project is dedicated to those who are about to close this chapter of their lives.

For senior Erikka Ross, this high school has been an extensive part of her family. Both of her older sisters and even her mother have all graduated from Marina.

"It's exciting and nerve-wracking to know that you're about to leave everything that you're comfortable with," said Ross. "I'm going to miss everything that Marina High School represents to me. It's been my whole life."

Ross' tile shows three palm trees and a song lyric etched on the bottom that reads: Wicked and Wily. The lyrics from local Huntington Beach band the Dirty Heads represents a relaxed music style that she considers a part of the town's culture.

Dziadkowicz also encouraged students to make tiles that expressed school spirit.

Junior Melissa Beitler has been cheerleading for Marina since her freshman year. Although Beitler has one more year left to graduate, she already knows what legacy she wants to leave on her tile.

"I put MHS and a sun on my tile. To me, it means to show pride in your school," said Beitler.

Both seniors Amelia Dev and Kathryn Kelly's tiles combine to form the shield of the Viking, Marina's mascot. Dev and Kathryn first became friends in their freshman year.

"We had three classes together and it was a big school with a lot of kids, so it was nice to be able to have a close friend," said Kelly. "We thought it would be fun to combine our two tiles and create a bigger design."

Dziadkowicz hopes to finish the project before graduation. However, many of the materials needed to complete the mural still need funding.

"We need glazes, which are expensive, and also cement to get it all up there. We're looking at a $800 to $1,000 project," said Dziadkowicz.

At the beginning of the school year, Marina's visual and performing arts department is allotted with a $5,000 budget. However, this budget is spilt between five teachers in the department.

"You just set up a project page, list the specific materials you need and then donors can contribute however much they want here," said Dzaidkowicz. "I've gotten some donations already, which is fantastic."

Other fundraising ideas include a ceramics art show being planned for either the first or second week of June. At the show, sushi sets made by Dziadkowicz's students will be sold to fund the mural.

For many seniors, this project will be preserving hometown memories as they move on to college.

"In a few years, maybe you'll walk by and flash back to the times you were here," said Hayes.

The mural's wall will be next to Marina's amphitheater "The Bowl", where the graduation ceremony is held every year.

"This has a lot of sentimental value, especially for our seniors," said Dziadkowicz. "I have a feeling it'll become a tradition."

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